Halloween Tales
by PyramidHead316
Summary: AU. Set in the "Mirror Image" universe. Alessa and Heather go trick-or-treating together, on the cusp of Halloween night. Chris does some hunting. Monsters come out on Halloween, as one young woman soon finds out. Alessa, Heather, OC. Bonus appearance by a special Silent Hill character! And someone else. ;)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Silent Hill and Alessa & Heather belong to Konami. My original characters belong to me.

_AN: This is a brand new story I'm starting, for Halloween! It's pretty much an homage to certain things, and certain TV shows I've enjoyed over the years. See if you can figure out which ones! This is set in the Mirror Image universe, starring Alessa and Heather for the most part. :-D I've decided to tell the story of their first Halloween together. I don't know if I'll be able to finish it for Halloween, but I'm going to try my absolute best! ;-D_

_This isn't a very serious story, so don't take it too seriously. For your own sake, let's just have fun. ;)_

* * *

**Halloween Tales**

The house was quiet today, unlike the usual times when the TV was on, and Alessa and her dad were conversing. The fall afternoon shone through the window, creating a nice blend of shadows and a pale sky in the far distance. A dominating silence wasn't unusual considering the circumstances. Chris was out on business, and the house's lone occupant was ensconced up in her room. One thing a person would have been surprised to learn, though, was that the anticipation in one room almost made up for the silence in the house.

Alessa grinned to herself as she sat at her vanity. Today was Halloween. Halloween was her favorite holiday of the year. She already had her costume picked out, and Heather had agreed to go trick-or-treating. She enjoyed Christmas, of course, for the time she could spend with her dad and the multitude of gifts she got, but nothing could beat Halloween in her mind. It was, perhaps, the one day of the year when she could truly be herself. She could spout all the supernatural bullshit she knew, and people around her would think she was just playing to the atmosphere, not realizing she was telling them the truth about the monsters and demons.

She had never gotten to go trick-or-treating as a child. By the time she was old enough to go, she was on a hospital bed in a comatose state fighting for her life in an overall burned state, with a crazy demon inside her. Dad had rescued her after she was 15, of course, but it took Alessa a while to get acclimated to society again. It wasn't until she took a look at Halloween one year on the TV, and all the happy children celebrating outside, that she realized what she had missed out on. Dad had told her she was too old to go trick-or-treating, but true to his nature, he had allowed her to do so anyway, not wanting to deny her anything that could help her, possibly.

Ever since then, Alessa went trick-or-treating every year. She always found some excuse to use on the neighbors to get them to give her candy, and she made such a sad, pitiful face, that the middle-aged and elderly neighbors were afraid not to give her some candy, for fear of upsetting the mentally traumatized girl. It was mean, and a bit manipulative, but hey, Alessa deserved to enjoy her happiness, after years of putting up with all the shit she endured in her home town. And candy and treats made her happy. She was a simple girl, sometimes.

Alessa loved the holiday. Gorging herself on candy, dressing up in crazy costumes; what was there not to love? But more than that, it was the celebratory atmosphere that Alessa enjoyed. Everything was just so festive and shiny, so raw and uninhibited, it was crazy to watch and so enjoyable to be a part of. It was awesome. She knew of nothing else that was like it. Except for Mardi Gras, possibly, but that was all the way in New Orleans, and she had no desire to flash her breasts. It was one of the few times of the year she was able to have pure, unadulterated fun outside of a book, comic books, or a video game screen. Ah, she loved it.

Heather had agreed to go with her this year, and she had already procured her costume. They had gotten the niece of a friend to go with them, so that nobody would question the validity of two twenty year olds going trick-or-treating on Halloween. She didn't think she needed the excuse, to be honest, but Alessa knew how adults think. Lisa would have loved this, Alessa thought. Going around dressed in a nurse costume, eating candy like two schoolgirls, her slipping her hand around Lisa's hip and into her underwear…okay, so maybe that was just Alessa. But she hoped Lisa would have enjoyed it. Actually, she had no idea whether Lisa enjoyed that kind of thing or not. But Alessa was confident that she would have made Lisa enjoy it. She was just that skilled.

Alessa had shut off the TV in her room and now she sat in silence, closing her eyes to immerse herself fully in the anticipation. She had to psyche herself up, so that when the evening celebration came, she would be fully brimming energetically with anticipation, practically ready to burst. Because this occasion came only once a year, and she damn well was going to make sure she made the best of it. Her dad thought she was weird for the anticipation of it, but he wasn't going to hold her back. Her only hope was that Heather was able to keep up with her, since she could get a little…exuberant about it.

Alessa grinned as she sat in her seat, clenching her fists to contain her shaking. She fucking loved Halloween. Oh yeah, this was going to be awesome! She had her girlfriend, whom she planned to fuck after the trick-or-treating if she allowed her to, and she had a supportive father who didn't mind his daughter going out and taking candy from the neighbors, despite being three times the allowed hypothetical age for trick-or-treating, and twice more than average in height and weight of the other kids in the neighborhood. What more could she want?

Time to get ready.

* * *

_4:18 p.m._

Heather sat close to the vanity two hours later, in the room Alessa's family had provided her with. She didn't know about this, she thought to herself. She was currently staying with Alessa's family in a guest room that had been tailored for her, until the mess with her father got sorted out. Alessa had invited her to go trick-or-treating, and she had said yes. She wasn't sure about this. A 20 year old trick-or-treating? Still, Alessa had seemed excited and Heather hadn't wanted to disappoint her. She had to admit, she kind of felt that she had been forced into it, that Alessa would have acted erratically depressed if she hadn't, and wouldn't have been able to enjoy the evening like usual. They had already been out shopping for the necessities of the night, regardless. She had wanted to go as an anime hero of some kind they found in a rack, but Alessa had vetoed that costume, and instead chosen another option for her. She said it would complement their selections more. Heather pouted a little in her thoughts. She wasn't even allowed to pick her own costume! How fun could this be? But she didn't want to disappoint Alessa, so she went along with it. She just hoped the night didn't turn into a bad one.

Heather had never gone trick-or-treating much as a child. She preferred to stay at home with her dad, watching scary movies together, or getting frightened by them by herself in her room. On the times that her dad could convince her to go out, she usually only got a few pieces of candy from the neighbors. She preferred not to stay out there more than an hour or two, despite having Harry being close by. Harry had wanted her to go out and form socializations with the kids close by, but somehow the idea never really appealed to her. When she got older, her focus switched to being with her friends, what few of them she had, and other such interests, that she had developed. In short, Halloween had never been a priority. But now, she was being asked to participate in it because of her holiday obsessed girlfriend, whose original idea to decorate the house with a heavy Halloween theme had been shut down, and that left her only with trick-or-treating as her expression. Heather honestly didn't know what to make of it.

Heather didn't know if she should start getting dressed now or not. It was still very early, but Alessa would probably want her to get ready as soon as possible. She sat there in her blue tank top, jeans, and her sneakers, wondering if she should get down to her underwear, and start putting on the costume. Heather had been shocked when she learned that Alessa's original idea for Halloween had been to hang plastic chains like the ones in _Hellraiser_ from the ceiling in her room, and possibly other appropriate decorations in the house, for one day, and when Chris vetoed that one, she had resorted to the trick-or-treating idea. If she couldn't have the more mature (or was that morbid?) idea, she would settle for the more childish one, as long as she had something appealing for the holiday. In retrospect, Heather was really glad her dad had been against that idea, and just let her go trick-or-treating. Her girlfriend staying in a room with chains hanging out of it was really weird, and Heather wasn't sure she would have been able to stay with her in there, if it became a tradition. She was avoiding Alessa, because she didn't want to see her costume, in case she accidentally walked in and Alessa had already changed into her costume. She also had some weird movie marathon going on, and Heather wasn't sure whether it was finished or not; Heather would have thought that Alessa would want them to watch them together, but apparently this was another one of Alessa's rituals tailored for the holiday. Her girlfriend was weird, Heather thought, as she shook her head. Good thing she loved her, anyway, because otherwise Heather might have been really freaked out by some of the things she had discovered about Alessa, and what she did in her free time. Not the least of which was this Halloween thing.

Oh well, there was nothing for it. There was nothing she could do about it now. She had agreed to go, and she couldn't let Alessa down. She just hoped it wouldn't bomb like some of the attempts to go to dances she had made in junior high school. Heather grimaced; that was embarrassing, and a bit mortifying too. She couldn't believe she was such a klutzy dancer. And so anti-social at that age, too. Oh well. She sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion despite not having done anything. She just hoped no one from her old high school would be out here tonight; that would be embarrassing, and Heather would have no definable explanation to give to them.

Maybe it would be better if she waited a couple hours more, to put on her costume.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Silent Hill belongs to Konami. Chris belongs to me. ;)

_AN: Chris has his own little story going on in my other fics, that has nothing to do with Silent Hill. :) I prefer characters that inhabit a grander world than just their own. However, because what he is doing is important, he is being included here. ;) That is why characters from my other fics, such as the Persona ones, will pop up in other fics occasionally. Alessa may have been greatly influenced by Silent Hill, but her entire life does not revolve around Silent Hill the town, for example. She has other adventures that she goes on. ;-)_

_Thank you for being patient here. ;-D I promise, this is all going somewhere!_

* * *

**Halloween Tales  
**

**Chapter 2**

_8:19 p.m._

The time had passed relatively quickly later on that day, and it was now nighttime. Alessa was ready. She had primped her costume up nice and proper, done her hair, and gotten ready in other ways. She had watched a five movie marathon earlier in the day all morning, with only the short break in the afternoon to put on her costume, and then gone right back to watching the movies. Now Heather had arrived from wherever she had gone, and she was now ready to accompany Alessa on her nightly outing. Alessa couldn't say that she didn't wish Heather looked more enthusiastic about it, but at least she was going, and that was all that mattered. Alessa grinned to herself, imagining all the fun she was going to have tonight.

Alessa watched as her father approached them, staring at the oddly dressed girls with his head cocked slightly to the side. He had the faint smirk of amusement on his face, which meant he was finding the whole thing funny but wouldn't dare say it to their faces for Heather's sake. He had on some casual clothing, a black sweater jacket and the jeans he wore around the house, so he probably wasn't going out tonight. He grinned upon seeing his favorite girls, noting Alessa's excitement and Heather's obvious discomfort, as she shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"There's my girls," Chris stated, glancing at them with a mild grin of amusement and pride. Alessa might have been quirky, but at least she was doing what she wanted, not what anyone else wanted.

"Yep," Alessa grinned, feeling giddy. They were standing side-by-side, making a perfect pair. They had their orange pumpkin-decorated Halloween bags, ready to be loaded to the bottom with candy. Their plan was to meet up with Heather's friend at her house, and pick up her niece there. Alessa was going as a witch (because she may as well go with it), and Heather was an angel. The costumes weren't the most creative, but they fit the theme of the night. With the costumes arranged as they were, and a little of making the right faces, the girls would be able to pass as teenagers four years younger, and no one would be able to tell the difference. They looked astoundingly young, in the costumes, Chris thought. Heather had small wings coming out of her back, and she wore a white shirt with no sleeves, one that complemented the flowering, flowing skirt covering her legs, and had her head encircled by a golden tiara-like band. Heather seemed a bit uncomfortable in her costume, shifting from foot to foot while gripping her bag.

"Aren't you starting a little late?" Chris inquired of them. The kids going around dressed up had been out there for hours already. He would have expected that Alessa would have gotten started a little earlier, like she usually did.

A shrug. "We're only going to be out there for about an hour and a half, or two hours," Alessa said, and perhaps it was for Heather's benefit. She seemed unsettled. "We'll be back before 11:00," she finished.

Chris nodded in satisfaction, giving a slight noise of acknowledgement. It seemed a little early to him, but it was Alessa's choice, and he supposed the activity outside would probably be tapering off by then. Most kids probably wouldn't want to be out there after 12:00 a.m., with their parents bugging them to go home, and when it was no longer October 31st. Technically you would already be onto November by then.

He looked seriously. "Stay away from 15th st. There's a pack of vampires wandering around there, and they're apparently interested in biting people. They're not looking for a full meal, supposedly, but rather be sure just in case," Chris told them, giving them a few more tips. He had heard some things.

"All right," Alessa nodded. Heather scoffed to herself, as she listened to them.

"Come on, guys, vampires?" she asked incredulously. Both Alessa and Chris gave serious looks at each other. Heather's expression fell a bit.

"Er, right," she said, scooting closer to Alessa.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll be careful," Alessa smirked. She would be more than that. Actually, she had one of the pendants he had received from their benefactor in her costume, just in case there was an emergency with a supernatural creature and she needed to use it. Technically she wasn't supposed to take it without his permission, but it was one of the minor magic ones, so she was sure he wouldn't miss it. Working for Ragnorok had its advantages. She smirked. It was very unlikely she would be running into any supernatural creatures tonight; she never had before.

"Is Julie still at that spa?" Heather piped up, from her right side. Heather stepped closer to the blond haired man, looking around the house with an observant eye. The older woman had gone to some high-class spa for several days, a token of relaxation Alessa and Chris had offered her, since she definitely needed the vacation. It was odd not seeing the brunette woman around, working on one thing or another. She definitely would have appreciated the costumes, she thought with something between a smirk and a rueful expression.

"Yep. She says she wants to stay the whole week relaxing, so she can be away from this…craziness, until it's over," Chris said, waving a hand at the kids outside, and the general aura of Halloween. Despite their best efforts, Alessa had still managed to get a few decorations onto the house. They allowed it, because they loved her. He was also pretty sure there was a scarecrow seated outside that would grab people, if they attempted to touch it. Chris shook his head at his daughter, wondering mildly with amusement where on earth she got such unbridled enthusiasm for this holiday from. He understood some of the basic motives, but she was still the biggest fanatic of this holiday occasion he had ever seen.

"Are you sure you don't want to come? You don't have to be with us, of course, but you could go into town and see if there are any costume parties going on, or something like that. I know there's a parade going on," Alessa said, wondering if he was really going to spend the night at home alone. It was Halloween night. Everyone should be having some fun.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine at home," Chris reassured them with a smile. He shrugged one sweater clad shoulder, trying to look nonchalant about the whole thing. He appreciated them looking after him, but he didn't need them to look after him. He would be fine by himself. And it was getting dark outside, and the longer Alessa waited, the darker it would get. He didn't want them waiting around the house longer than they should have because she was worrying about her old dad.

"Okay, we're going," Alessa said, as she turned and headed on her way. She was a little worried about him, but she wasn't going to argue about it. He needed to get out more, but that was up to him. He was looking a little lost without Julie, to be honest, which reminded her of how dependent he had gotten on her, despite doing things on his own for many years. Oh well, she pushed it to the side out of her mind, determined not to let it interfere with her enjoyment. She gripped the bag with joyful fingers, feeling a sense of giddiness running through her. She was going trick-or-treating! Her favorite night of the year, along with Christmas, and she was going to enjoy it full force with her beautiful girlfriend, who was also going dressed as a character, and was indulging Alessa despite making it clear that she did not want to be here, simply because she loved her. Oh, she was going to have so much fun! She would show Heather exactly why there was so much joy to be found in Halloween, and eating candy and going dressed out during the night had their own rewards, right along with the atmosphere.

"Be careful," Chris called out behind them, giving them one last pointer as he waved goodbye. He had to give them the standard parental warning, even though he knew Alessa could handle herself, and protect Heather too.

"I will," Alessa said, without looking back. She didn't see her dad waving goodbye, but she knew him, and she knew he was just trying to be protective of her, like any responsible parent. It wasn't something he got to do often, and she knew he enjoyed it.

Heather grimaced to herself a bit as they left. She looked sideways to the girl escorting her, and her oddly assembled attire. This was the first time she had seen Alessa's costume all day, and now Heather understood why Alessa hadn't wanted her to view it until now. Because it was so lame, she would have been snickering at it quietly on the first view if she'd been given the chance. An angel and a witch? Really? That was the most creative exercise Alessa could come up with? It was such a clichéd pairing, and Heather had to bite her lip every time she saw the oversized black clothing on Alessa, and the shimmering pointy hat. Heather was beginning to doubt her girlfriend, and her motivations for this idea. Not to mention, the psychological implications of a person who had been called a witch for years in a tormenting abusive manner dressing up as a witch for Halloween. A sigh nearly escaped her lips. She hoped this night would go quickly, because she couldn't wait to get out of this costume. Ah well, what was done was done. There was no backing out of it now. Heather sighed internally as she contemplated what her life had come to on this night, in this childish white costume: she felt like she was freakin' six years old! Heather couldn't help the sarcastic snark that formed on her lips, as she fought hard to keep herself from feeling any sillier in this ridiculous costume. _Oh goody. We're going trick-or-treating! It's just like sixth graders on their first outing without any supervision, dressing up as an angel and a witch from the story they read. Why don't we just hold hands, and go skipping off to school!_

She kept the words to herself, opting to put it to the side instead of creating a scene. Maybe she could try to keep focused, and this night wouldn't go as badly as she feared.

She might even have some fun in the process.

Chris watched them as they headed through the atrium, until they left out the door. Finally, they were gone. He felt an internal sigh of relief. He immediately rushed to the room that served as their library, and keyed into the secret door behind the bookcase. He descended down the stairs, feeling a giddiness he hadn't felt in a while. He generally enjoyed his life and was quietly content for the most part, but this was something different. This was the tinges of excitement, of something new he hadn't done in a while. The place was dark, just as he preferred it – covered with shadows.

The computer consoles surrounded him, but he paid them no mind – he didn't need them at this moment. He found the excitement growing in him as he took every further step. He marched up to the black box in the middle, and pulled the doors open to a wide state. The suit lay inside, gleaming in its subdued superiority like a prized trophy.

Chris smiled at the powered suit he had stolen from the military, along with his sister. Each member of their unit had wanted their turn with it, but in the end it had been decided that he would be the one to receive it. He knew how to stay off the military radar, whereas the movements of the others could be easily tracked; moreover, he would put it to good use. The choice turned out to be a blessing, because it allowed him to do more than an individual was ever thought capable of with it.

He put aside the sweater, laying it on a metal cabinet. The suit only allowed the minimal use of clothing underneath, and he wouldn't be needing a sweater tonight. He made sure everything was set to go first; that all electronic systems were online, so that there wouldn't be any errors. He hadn't done this in a while. Julie didn't like him doing this, because of the safety concerns. She said he needed to be there for his family. Chris understood that too, but he also needed to fight. It was who he was, and he needed to engage that side occasionally. Fortunately, there were plenty of things in this city to pick a fight with: criminals, scum, and other malicious persons who preyed on anyone who wasn't them. He only needed to put in an appearance once every six months or so, and the criminal dirtbags would be running scared for the next six months or so, maybe eight in good times. His alter ego had cultivated quite the fearsome reputation, and it held even in the lull of inactivity. Privately, he thought that maybe Bruce Wayne was on to something when he invented that urban legend status in the comics.

He leaned back into the compact chamber, and spread his arms aloft. The suit locked into place, form fitting as always thanks to the design of its creators, sealing him into place. A featureless mask closed around him, bulletproof like a ballistic helmet – protecting him from harm. The black outfit stood out among the overall design, making him look almost like an incarnation of the grim reaper. Even knowing the grim fate that awaited the poor bastard who they were going to forcibly graft into the suit before he stole it, once again he wondered as always if he had done the right thing by stealing this suit, instead of pursuing other methods to disable it. The thought quickly faded. He was doing more good in the suit than they ever would have done, with their assassinations and petty political moves. He grinned vibrantly as the mask locked into place. Ah, he loved Halloween – the one night of the year when a guy like him could go out in public and everyone would just think he was just another person in a costume. Vengeance didn't need the anonymity, because of his reputation; however, it would definitely be a great asset to him. They would never see him coming. Chris Summers disappeared into the recesses of his consciousness, as the thought processes of Vengeance rose up foremost in his mind, resulting in him becoming an almost different person, transforming him into a force with deadly intent.

Vengeance stepped off the platform fully garbed. He placed the sword on his back, sheathing it in a partial scabbard that was made of leather, and some modern components. It was a finely crafted blade that could cut through some metals like butter, and deflect bullets in the hands of the right user. And the muscle accelerators in his system definitely made him one of the right persons in this case. He stood for a moment, basking in the feel of having all this powerful technology on him once more.

Chris grinned viciously underneath the mask. _Papa's going hunting tonight!_

* * *

_AN: Yes, Heather is a grump when it comes to Halloween! ;-D She needs to mellow out.  
_

_Note: Ragnorok is the name of the god that lives deep under the city where Alessa and Chris, and Heather are now staying, and which serves to keep the Order's gods away from there. :/ In terms of the name, yes, there is a connection to what happened to the other gods of the world, the more...'human' gods, in a sense. :/ (It's not a pretty story. :P)  
_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Silent Hill belongs to Konami. Original characters belong to me.

_AN: Yes, this is still going somewhere. Trust me. :)_

* * *

**Halloween Tales**

**Chapter 3**

Vengeance landed nimbly on the rooftop of a moderately large building. The sky was dark as midnight around the city, as the night edged on around the subdued lights of the buildings. It was the perfect cover for his work.

He wasn't surprised to see a Caucasian man of average height waiting for him. The man turned to him, as his arrival was noticed.

"Hello, Neo. I've been waiting for you," the man said with a faint smile. He wore a gray business suit, and had a dark trenchcoat of classic make, wrapped around his shoulders to protect his form from the cold.

Vengeance smirked underneath his mask. "You do the worst Matrix impression I've ever seen," he scoffed, trying not to grin as he drew closer to the man, who had been a friend for many years. He drew himself up to his full height, towering over the shorter man by several inches, watching while the man maintained his cool exterior.

John Frost grinned as he saw the masked man approach, stepping closer as the winds whipped around their cloaked forms from the chilly Halloween night. "I try my best," he said genially, not letting the comment get to him. He accepted it for what it was: simple teasing. He paused briefly as he shook the man's hand, before he walked past him a bit. He looked out at the cityscape.

"It's good to see you. I should have known you'd be out here tonight," Vengeance said, shaking his head. He wasn't expecting to run into John tonight, but it made sense that he would be. This was his kind of night, after all. They sometimes worked together, but he was expecting to work solo tonight, to be honest. Or was John here for something else?

John scoffed. "Where else would I be?" he said, taking in the night air. Vengeance grinned at the man's antics, as he showed as much giddiness as he had ever seen. That was a good point. He grinned to himself. John was usually very subdued, but tonight he seemed hyper, somewhat on edge.

"You got any plans for tonight?" Vengeance asked. He was wondering what the man was going to do. It was sometimes difficult to predict his actions. He hoped he wasn't going to ask him to work with him, because Chris really had his heart set on working alone tonight. Nothing against him, he just didn't want the company tonight. He was glad Alessa and Heather had gone trick-or-treatin' tonight, on that front.

"Yep," John answered seriously. "The Council's away from the headquarters for tonight, on business. I'm going to go down to the parade in the middle, I'm going to party hard with the locals like it's the apocalypse, and then I'm gonna get drunk off my ass while the Council is not here to see it," he said, grinning cheekily, as he gave in to the atmosphere that was pervading the night.

Vengeance scoffed. "Ha." Figures. John wasn't here to work tonight, he was here to play, and had apparently decided to join in on the holiday festivities. Particularly while his superiors were away. He couldn't begrudge the guy, though. The guy worked hard enough as it is. He deserved some time to enjoy himself, after a hard day of controlling the world.

Vengeance raised an eyebrow. "I thought you guys couldn't do that," he said.

John waved it away. "It's all metaphorical, anyway," he said.

He walked away a bit. He put his hands in his pockets. Vengeance hated to interrupt his thoughts, but he had to get to business. He turned serious for a moment.

The wind whipped past them. "Any signs of activity?" he asked, hoping he knew the answer John was going to give him.

His ally inclined his head. John turned to him, with a serious face. "There are no signs of activity anywhere. The usual reports have gone unreported. Nothing is coming from the town. Nothing is going on, apparently. There are a few ghouls and specters around the town, but nothing major. They seem to be having a slow night today," he said. He paused. "Of course, there are still a couple hours left. Things could pick up in a little while," he added, having to get in that last bit.

Vengeance scoffed. "That's good to hear," he said, with quiet sarcasm. Still, he had an internal sigh of relief. That was good to hear. It wasn't a question he enjoyed posing, in case he didn't like the answer, but he had to address the issue, in case he needed to do something about it. He had to ask.

John walked away a bit, stretching his arms out. "Ah, Halloween," he said in a fond tone, "the one night of the year when a guy like me can go outside and walk among the people, and nobody will know the difference," he said, as he shifted into his gray skinned, dark eyed form. He looked back at the other person on the roof, with what was his face's closest example of a slight smile.

Vengeance circled around him, looking him straight in his unusual face. He made a most unusual image, with the strange sight sticking out of a body clad in a finely woven gray business suit, and an FBI style trenchcoat. The kids down there would have killed to see this sight, Chris thought with a snicker, thinking of all the people down there in costumes who were passing themselves off as supernatural creatures and ghouls. The real thing was right above them. He grinned at the thought.

"By the way, you might want to swing by the parade downtown, and take a look. There's two Colonel Campbells and a Gray Fox, so far." John looked at him. "I thought you might appreciate the joke," he said.

Vengeance glared at him through the mask. "Very funny," he said tersely.

For a moment, a comfortable silence reigned.

"Well, it's time to get going. I don't want to be late," John said suddenly, moving to walk away on the rooftop. He looked back at the other man, and gave him a serious look. "Good luck," he said, pointing at him with his fingers. Without warning, he jumped over the edge of the rooftop, down to the darkness below.

Vengeance took a few steps closer to the ledge. He knew it was at least 20 stories down from the rooftop. He shook his head.

"Alien freak," he muttered.

* * *

At least he used a grappling gun.

They had made good headway despite the circumstances. They first needed to rendezvous with Heather's friend at her house to pick up her niece. It turned out Heather's friend was actually a friend of Harry's. They had met when Harry and Heather were moving around a lot. However, she was also friends with Heather. She greeted Heather with a warm look and a hug, and was apparently glad to see her. The woman then looked Alessa over, as if judging her with a stare. Once she had apparently decided Alessa was alright, she had entrusted them with her niece. The long haired woman turned to go back inside after giving them a goodbye, shutting the door behind her.

They had told her Alessa was Heather's friend. It probably wasn't a good idea if she knew that Alessa and Heather were actually having sex, and they weren't just a pair of friends, and they didn't want to ruffle any feathers tonight. They didn't know if the woman would approve, and tonight wasn't a good time to try that theory. Tonight was all about Arielle having fun, and them along with her, of course. No matter how badly they wanted, it just wasn't a good idea to bring the subject up, despite how much they wanted it to be known that she was Alessa's girlfriend.

The night was dark as they began to walk away at a leisurely pace. Heather had to admit, this wasn't that bad. There were lots of people around dressed in crazy outfits, which gave it a festive atmosphere, and the houses were tastefully decorated with the appropriate decorations for the holiday. Even though it was dark, the lights from the houses around them gave it a nice, pleasant atmosphere appropriate for fun. She was having a calm time, and she wasn't tearing her hair out in frustration at the stupid costumes, and bratty children running around in unruly messes. Heather only hoped it would last, that it didn't go downhill once they started trick-or-treating. She was enjoying it too much.

Alessa paused, since they hadn't yet given an appropriate introduction to the little girl accompanying them. She turned around to look at their newly invited companion, and regarded the dark blonde haired little girl accompanying them.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Alessa said, bending down to Arielle's level. "Have you been having fun today so far in your costume?" she asked. The girl was wearing a cream colored outfit, with a light blue vest, and some type of headgear on her head that resembled a band. There were little wings that came out her back, sewn into the costume. She was clearly a fairy.

The little girl didn't answer. She just stared at Alessa with a quiet, distrusting expression.

"Okay. She doesn't say much, does she?" Alessa stated, glancing at Heather. "Huh." This wasn't what she was expecting at all. She was expecting a vibrant, energetic little girl, from how Heather had described her. Instead this girl was shy, and not interested in saying much, apparently. She stared at Alessa with a frightened expression. "She's a little shy," she said.

"She is," Heather nodded. "At least when she first meets people." She stepped closer to the girl who was her friend for a long time, giving her a warm look that was reassuring, and full of fond attention. "Alessa's not going to hurt you, sweetie. She's just out here to have fun," Heather said, hoping to put the girl at ease. She gave a radiant smile that relayed joy despite how she was feeling earlier in the evening, hoping the girl would see that she wasn't bullshitting her.

Alessa turned away. If the girl didn't want to talk to her, then that was fine. It was her time to have fun, after all. She was starting to walk a bit, when she heard a shy sound behind her. "Hi," the little girl said shyly, hiding her hands together in front of her waist.

Alessa turned around. The little girl was staring at her patiently, although she still looked a little frazzled. Alessa's lips curved into a smile. "Hey, you talk. You have a great costume there," she said genially. The little girl blushed, but Alessa could tell she was pleased. "I was afraid you weren't going to want to come with us," she said. It was best to reassure her that they did want her to be with them, and she wasn't just an unwanted burden. That was probably one of her fears.

The little girl stared patiently at her. "You haven't been out trick-or-treating much, have you?" Arielle said knowingly, giving her a pointed look. "That's why you're out here despite being too old to trick-or-treat, isn't it?" she asked, and it was clear judging by the expression on her face that she was already sure of the answer, despite being a child.

Alessa's jaw dropped in disbelief. She couldn't believe it. It was disturbing how insightful kids could be, she remembered suddenly. She was unsure of how to respond, so she settled for a stunned, gaping silence.

"Alessa is my special friend," Heather piped up abruptly from her place, trying to help things along a bit. "I love her very much," she said, blushing a bit in her cheeks. Heather sometimes had trouble expressing her feelings, Alessa knew. "Please treat her nicely for tonight," she said, pleading with her younger friend. It wasn't often that she pleaded about something with anyone, least of all a child, but she wanted tonight to go well for Alessa's sake, despite her own grumpy reservations. And the conversation was not off to a good start, in her estimation.

Alessa thought she saw the hint of a smile on the little girl's face. The little girl seemed openly accepting, not judging, and that gave her the courage to continue on with the conversation. She knelt down a bit to Arielle's level, putting them on equal footing.

Alessa smiled at her. "That's right. And that's why we're going to have a lot of fun tonight, aren't we?" she said, talking hopefully with Arielle face-to-face. Arielle stared at her for a moment, and then the sign of a grin broke out of the little girl's face. "Yeah!" she said, showing an energetic stance for the first time. Alessa held out her hand for a high five, and the little girl pumped up her fist to eagerly reciprocate it. Alessa grinned to herself.

In the background, Heather was visibly relieved. She could see the other girl had been worried about how they would get along, no doubt. Alessa knew she had the girl's back now and vice versa, and the lack of prior knowledge wouldn't be an issue anymore.

They got up from the ground, or at least Alessa did since she was the one kneeling, and they continued on their way. Heather rushed up to face her from behind, apparently wanting to know how things were going to start. They wanted to keep together as a group, and they had a plethora of options they could go to. It was all a little overwhelming for a novice, in all honesty.

"Okay, now that that's over with, how are we going to do this?" Heather asked, getting right down to business. She looked around uncertainly at the other trick-or-treaters, and the mounds of them wandering the streets.

Alessa turned to her. "We'll start off in this neighborhood. We'll do one round here, and then we'll do a second one, to get the other half. Then we'll move on to the next. Sometimes I'll go into the city; not tonight," she said. She didn't think Heather was ready for that, and they had a younger companion to look out for. Though she was pretty sure the child's aunt trusted them with her. "We'll do three neighborhoods max, no more. That ought to be enough to get some candy for tonight," she finished, fully laying out her plans for the night. It was well organized, thought out, and fully Alessa.

Heather nodded, her head still whirling a bit from the descriptions. _You make it sound like a battle plan. Jeez…_

Once again, she wondered what kind of fanatic she was dating.

They were a bit away from the main group, when they heard a howl emanating across the area and then another, coming over the tops of the trees that were positioned in the neighborhood. Heather looked up, as did Alessa and the younger Arielle, although momentarily before they continued walking.

"Werewolves," Alessa murmured.

"Oh, come on! There aren't any werewolves out there," Heather scoffed, dismissing her friend's ridiculous thought. It was probably just some wolves out in the woods, or something. Her friend's outrageous statements were starting to get to her, and she really didn't appreciate it tonight. Arielle didn't appear to be paying attention to the adults' conversation, and she was apparently focused on something on the ground.

Alessa looked back at Heather. She gave her a flat look. "Believe what you want, Heather," she said.

She turned around, and began to walk away from her friend.

Heather paused in her tracks. She gaped at her girlfriend's retreating form, and was soon crossing the ground in an attempt to follow her without making it seem too obvious.

"Really?"

Not answering the query, Alessa continued leading the merry group on their way. A few uneventful minutes passed.

Alessa grinned to herself, as she saw the first house that was their target in the distance. _Time to get started_, she thought in anticipation.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Silent Hill is owned by Konami.

_AN: It has become clear that I will never be able to finish this fic by Halloween before it's over. So, this fic is going to be extended over several days, with multiple updates. I hope you keep hanging on with me until the end! :-D You guys on the West Coast are getting a special treat, since you're going to get to read this before Halloween is over tonight! ;-D_

_This chapter is going to get revised in the future, since it was rushed in the end. However, I really wanted to get an update in tonight, so there you go. :-) Unfortunately, I couldn't make it in time for an East Coast Halloween, but you guys still have the West Coast, right? ;-D_

* * *

**Halloween Tales**

**Chapter 4**

They had had a good night so far. It had proven to be a fruitful one. They had hit at least thirty houses, and now had bags full of Halloween candy. The people were enjoying Arielle's costume, and they played along with Alessa's and Heather's, probably in the spirit of the holiday and because the girls were so well behaved. It was hard to argue with the two young women, when they were politer than most trick-or-treaters. Heather was looking positively angelic in her costume, and Alessa made a cute witch herself, she had to admit. Their costumes had been well chosen, despite the sarcasm she knew Heather had for hers. Plus, they had a cute little girl with them. That never failed to help matters, she thought. They had been out here for over an hour, and they were coming on the tail end of their Halloween adventure.

The next house that was their target came into sight. The house was decorated with a load of Halloween decorations, lights and pumpkins were strung up along the area, and the yard was brimming with skeletons and filled to the bone with other spooky décor; ghosts, goblins, and others. The person was obviously a fanatic of the holiday, and didn't mind showing it. They walked up to the entrance with their Halloween bags, feeling slightly out of place amid all the garish decorations and lights. They hadn't put nearly as much effort into their costumes, and this was too much even for them. On the other hand, it did look like a Halloween funland.

A middle aged woman opened the door. She seemed slightly surprised to see them, and she held a pumpkin basket filled with candy under her arm. There weren't too many people passing by here anymore. "I love your costume, dear! Oh, you're so cute!" she said, in reference to Arielle. She smirked a bit at the older Alessa and Heather accompanying the little girl. "Aren't you a little old to be trick-or-treating?" she said, though not in an unkind voice. It was clear she was a little skeptical, but not in a judging way.

"She was sick a lot as a child," Heather said dutifully, truthfully doing her part. "She missed out a lot on trick-or-treating back then, and so she's making up for it now," she said. They got that a lot, and she was getting used to answering the question for Alessa's age. She guessed she just had such a nice face that people trusted her instinctively; a blessing, really.

Alessa put on the most sympathetic face. It was the truth, in a way; she just wasn't going to ever mention that her sickness had no _earthly_ origin, and being sick involved being burnt all over and lying on a bed chained to a basement, so to speak. She had to laugh at herself, or else she would cry from going insane at the incredible depression in her life earlier on.

The woman was instantly sympathetic. "Oh, you poor thing! Here, have some candy," she said genially, holding a bunch of wrapped goodies gripped in two fists into Alessa's and Heather's bags. She looked into Alessa and Heather's faces, as if searching for any signs of deception. When she saw none apparently, she reached again into the cauldron of treats. "Here, have some more," she said, reaching into the basket for a second round of treats.

"Thank you!" Alessa said, smiling widely. She grinned as the woman gave a substantial amount of candy to Arielle, the guest of honor, filling up her bag as well. Soon, the woman had a satisfied expression. "Have a happy Halloween, sweetie! Take care," she said warmly, and Alessa had to keep herself from hugging the woman. She was so nice! She felt a warm feeling growing in her chest; she loved it when people were nice to her. Regardless of age, or her peculiar thoughts.

"I will," Alessa said, starting on her way as the woman closed the door and went back inside. She gave them a slight wave as she did so. Heather and Arielle began to follow along, enjoying the feel of the heavy bags in their hands.

They were some distance away from the house and its glowing lights when it began. Heather stepped closer to her girlfriend, mulling over the pleasant encounter with the older woman and Arielle enjoying having her bag filled with such goodies.

Alessa smiled, looking over at Heather. "We're good, aren't we?" she said, with a self-satisfied smirk.

Heather smiled, though it was all she could do not to roll her eyes.

* * *

A short time later Heather was almost regretting coming along. Heather had to admit, she was enjoying the experience of being out here. She was loving getting candy, and she had to admit it was actually enjoyable to be out here in a costume, away from her currently daily clothes. It was a nice change of pace. Heather hated being wrong, which was why she was almost partly resentful for being pulled out here. She would avoid telling Alessa she had been proven right, because otherwise the gloating would be uncontrollable. Still, the smile that spread across her face was something that she didn't want to conceal at all.

Alessa munched on a full size candy bar. One of the benefits of being in a rich neighborhood was that people were incredibly generous with the candy they gave out. While many rich people didn't give anything to others, the ones that did gave out boatloads of treats far surpassing one's expectations. Heather had seen more full size candy bars than she could have imagined, and Arielle's eyes had widened at the sight of countless strawberry candies, peppermints, and chocolates that were being distributed, along with Heather's; her eyes widened at the sheer numbers of candies that were in their bags.

"What was the most outrageous costume you ever put on?" Heather asked calmly, pulling out a chocolate bar and deciding to take a chance. They still had a ways to go, after all. She was surprised at how at ease she had become with the whole Halloween idea, and casually discussing costumes as if they weren't a silly idea that people pulled out once a year.

"I went as Raziel one time," Alessa answered, smiling as she snacked on her candy bar. "That was a real technical effort to put on, though. It has to look like he has just a spine," she said gesturing, "so the ribs have to be pronounced. Plus, my legs can't be too thick, and they have to look skinny," she said, gesturing down widely. She smirked. "I perfected the voice, though," she said somewhat proudly. She cleared her throat. "_So vampire, here we are. You've destroyed my brethren, and now you've come for me_," she said, in a very close imitation of the actor's accent.

Heather didn't conceal her smirk. "Nice," she said, trying her hardest not to snicker. She had to admit, Alessa almost had the actor down pat. It was nice to know her girlfriend was such a nerd.

They had gotten some great treats tonight. The houses were getting weirder, though. They had been at one house where a bear appeared to be fucking another person in a costume, and there was blaring music on in the background. Heather had arched an eyebrow at that, and they had to admit that something was going on as they got further into the neighborhood. Though they had still taken the candy that had been handed out, after examining it very, very closely. Alessa had also pulled out her cell phone, in case they needed assistance and there was an emergency, and there was something very, very wrong with this candy. Thankfully, that had not come to pass. They continued along on their way, and they soon came to another house, albeit shivering a little.

They walked up to the house, and knocked on the door. A middle aged woman opened the door. She had somewhat frizzy hair, and was wearing a white witch's costume, which settled tightly on her figure. "Oh, you are cuties!" she said, and there seemed to be loud music blaring on in the house. Smoke seemed to be pervading the house, and there seemed to be lights blasting in the home. Heather and Alessa raised eyebrows at that, and they wondered if this was suddenly a good idea. She smirked upon seeing the older Alessa and Heather. "I have some nice goodies for you," she said, and she went back a bit into the house. She was digging around inside a bag, and then she put a bunch of stuff into their bags, including Arielle's. Alessa wasn't quite able to see what she was putting into them. When she was finished, the woman waved them away. "Well, goodnight!" she said, in a somewhat bubbly tone, and then closed the door behind her. Heather and Alessa were left staring numbly at the door, before they could even ask what was going on.

Heather and Alessa backed away slowly, gently taking Arielle with them. They walked for a short distance, before one felt compelled to ask the obvious question. "What was that?" Heather asked, staring at Alessa with a look of disbelief.

Alessa shook her head, not having an answer for her. Against her better judgment, because of her suspicious nature, she decided to check what had been put into Arielle's bag. She was left with her eyes widened, as she pulled out a vibrator, in its long plastic container shiny and new. Heather's eyes widened behind her, and her jaw dropped.

"Oh my god," Alessa muttered, holding the accursed thing between her fingers. "Who would put a vibrator in an eight year old's bag?" she said in bewilderment, not sure whether she should be disgusted or frightened.

_Er, I don't think it was meant for her_, Heather thought in shock. Actually, watching the woman's look, she was pretty certain it was meant for her and Alessa. She watched as the other girl looked at the object with wonder and confusion. Heather covered Arielle's eyes, trying to shield the little girl from seeing something entirely inappropriate for her, while the girl protested and tried to swat away her arms.

She put the vibrator into her costume somewhere. "You're going to test that later, aren't you?" Heather said knowingly, giving Alessa an accusing look.

Alessa knew better than to dignify her with an answer.

They walked away for a bit, still wondering about the surreal nature of what they had just encountered. Even for them, this was just too strange, even considering the variety of houses they had encountered before.

"Alessa, I have to thank you," Heather said, walking casually as they passed the decorations of other houses surrounding them.

Alessa looked back, stopping as she was now wondering what Heather had to say and why it was important.

"Despite the weirdness of some of the houses," Heather said, shifting a bit uncomfortably, "I've actually enjoyed being out here tonight. It's been fun, in a way I didn't think it would be, and I have you to thank for convincing me to take the chance when I wouldn't have otherwise," she said, blushing a bit in her cheeks as she looked down. It wasn't often Heather had to admit she was wrong, and it wasn't something she was comfortable in. Heather smiled up at Alessa. "So, thank you."

Alessa stared at Heather. Finally, she smiled back at the other girl with unbridled joy. "You're welcome," she smiled, and it was clear how greatly happy she was with her girlfriend right now.

She stepped forward, and hugged Heather in a casually loose hug. Heather returned the gesture, and she held the hug for a moment, before they released each other from the fast, quirky embrace and they separated from each other for a few feet. It must have made an odd sight, a witch hugging an angel among pumpkin-laden yards in the middle of a tree covered street for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

They stared at each other for a moment, sharing a look of mutually reciprocated affection. "Are you going to kiss her?" they suddenly heard Arielle's voice speak up.

Alessa stared at Arielle in shock, and Heather wasn't far behind. The little girl had a knowing expression, and her mildly arched eyebrows shared a refined confidence in her judgment. "I may be a little kid, but I know a few things," she said, sounding utterly serious. "I can tell that you like each other. You're afraid of my mom, aren't you?" Arielle said knowingly, with a serious look on her face. "You're afraid to have her find out that you're girlfriend and girlfriend, and that she won't approve of it, and that you won't be able to see me anymore. Is that right?" Arielle asked, delicately lifting an eyebrow. "But you don't have to worry. Not all of us think that way, and I know plenty of others who are open minded about this. I won't tell another soul of what I've seen here," she said, turning serious. Arielle smiled at Heather. "For what it's worth, I think you guys make a great couple," she said, blushing a little at her observation. "She looks nice, with you," she said, looking down. She didn't often have to tell friends they liked each other in this way, and it showed on every bit of her face. She was turning red, almost trying to hide her face in her hair.

Alessa looked at her in wonder, trying to reconcile what they had just heard. It was frightening how perceptive children were, and she was being reminded of that time and time again tonight. Then she looked at Heather, who stood there looking a bit shocked with what was going on. They shared a look, and she received the same fervent look from the girl. Well, if their friend here was accepting, then what was the problem? She smirked in a naughty fashion, as she saw Heather smiling at her with a subdued glee.

Alessa moved a bit closer to Heather. Heather did the same, and stepped closer to the dark haired girl. They met in a light near-embrace, the air crackling between them with electricity. They pressed their lips against each other, Alessa placing her hand on Heather's face, and Heather cupping her arm. Nothing X-rated – they were in front of a child, after all, and they didn't need to get all hot and heavy. They held the gentle kiss, Alessa cupping Heather's cheek all the while, until they finally broke apart. They turned to their companion.

Alessa knelt down to Arielle's level. "Thank you," she said, and she hugged the blonde haired little girl tightly, a genuine hug this time full of emotion and gratitude of enormous amounts. She had found open acceptance tonight in this little girl who had accompanied her on Halloween, and Alessa was bright enough to recognize the significance of that. It wasn't often that she found open acceptance like this, and it filled her with emotion that struggled to burst outside. She pulled back in a rush, smiling widely at Arielle, beaming with happiness.

"Hey, it's no problem," Arielle said, a bit uncomfortable. She wasn't used to getting such unbridled affection from strangers. She looked over Alessa, and smiled. "Heather could do worse," she added, trying to find something else to say. If they could talk around casually with each other, then maybe everything would be all right. Heather was a good friend, and she wanted to see her with someone who would make her happy, even if she wasn't exactly sure what they would do with each other yet.

"Thank you – hey!" There was a shrill cry, as Alessa realized Arielle's little joke. Heather chuckled at the fake putdown of her girlfriend, and they shared a laugh over their sudden bond that was forming, the atmosphere suddenly light and cheery.

Suddenly, they were glad they had brought Arielle along tonight on their little trip, despite their initial misgivings.

* * *

_AN: I promise, there are monsters coming in the next chapter!  
_

_I hope you enjoyed that little slice of insanity tonight, fine guys and girls. ;-P Happy Halloween, guys! :-D_


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